FCT finds no evidence linking watermelon to alleged diphtheria case

The Federal Capital Territory Health Services and Environment Secretariat has rejected a viral claim that an Abuja resident contracted diphtheria after eating sliced watermelon, saying field investigators found no evidence to support it. Mandate Secretary Adedolapo Fasawe said the FCT Public Health Department and Abuja Municipal Area Council investigated the report after a social media post by Ivan Eagle Lawson circulated a photograph said to show a man identified as Simeon Okoh, allegedly suffering from diphtheria. Fasawe said a multidisciplinary Rapid Response Team visited the location named in the post on Monday.

Enquiries with estate managers and an inspection of the area found that the address did not match the estate’s road designations. She said the estate management could not identify a resident matching the description in the post and had no knowledge of the alleged incident. Checks of the FCT diphtheria line list and records at the National Reference Laboratory in Gaduwa also produced no corresponding record.

The investigation did not locate the person named in the post or establish evidence of the alleged diagnosis. Fasawe said it also found no link between watermelon and diphtheria. She stressed, however, that the clarification applied only to the viral allegation and did not mean diphtheria was no longer a public health concern in the territory.

The FCT’s response remains active, she said. Fasawe said most cases recorded during the current outbreak involved children, particularly those aged five to nine, many of whom were unvaccinated. She urged parents to ensure children receive the three primary doses of the diphtheria-containing pentavalent vaccine and to seek catch-up vaccination where necessary.

Residents were advised to seek care for fever, sore throat, neck swelling or difficulty swallowing, with breathing difficulty requiring urgent attention. Fasawe also urged people not to circulate unverified health claims or stigmatise residents, communities and food vendors.